This invention relates to an automobile body structure which allows for reduction in manufacturing cost and weight of automobile bodies.
FIGS. 8 and 9 hereof illustrate a conventional automobile body structure. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, A body 100 has left and right center pillars 101 (only the right center pillar is sown) from which opposite gussets 103 and 104 extend towards each other. Front ends of the gussets 103 and 104 are coupled to middle portions of a stiffener 106 for a floor crossmember 108 (see FIG. 9) provided on a floor panel 105. Herein, an arrow (front) indicates a forward direction of the automobile.
When another automobile strikes against the side of the above automobile, for example, the impact load applied to one of the left and right center pillars 101 is transmitted via the gusset 103 or the gusset 104 to the other center pillar 101 to be dispersed, so that the center pillar 101 having received the impact is prevented from deformation.
In order to resist the excessive load acting on the floor crossmember 108 and the stiffener 106 during the above load transmission, the stiffener 106 has a greater plate thickness or, alternatively, an additional reinforcing member 107 is mounted on the stiffener 106 between the gussets 103 and 104. The stiffener 106 is mounted on the floor crossmember 108. The reinforcing member 107 is mounted on a front upper portion of the stiffener 106. Reference numeral 111 denotes a bolster in a rear seat. The plate thicknesses of the members shown in the figure are exaggerated for purposes of illustration (this applies hereinafter).
The use of the reinforcing member 107 in the conventional automobile body structure requires a die for forming the reinforcing member 107 in a shape conforming to that of the stiffener 106, resulting in increased die cost. Further, the necessity of the greater thickness xe2x80x9ctxe2x80x9d of the stiffener 106 or the reinforcing member 107 increases the weight of the automobile body.
The present Invention provides an automobile body structure which allows for the reduction in manufacturing coot and weight of automobile bodies.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automobile body structure, which comprises: a left center pillar; a right center pillar; and a crossbeam interposed between and connected to the left and right center pillars, the crossbeam comprising a beam body and gussets mounted to the opposite ends of the beam body, respectively.
When another automobile strikes against the side of the automobile, the input load inputted to one of the center pillars can be received by the other center pillar via the crossbeam. This, for example, prevents a crossmember from directly receiving the input load, eliminating the need for the reinforcement of the crossmember.
Each of the gussets has a divergent shape with the width increasing from the beam body toward the center pillar. That is, the area or the load receiving surface of the gusset to receive a load from the center pillar is increased. Thus, an input load to the center pillar is securely transmitted to the crossbeam.
Each of the center pillars of the present invention has a structure with hollow cross-section comprising an outer panel and an inner panel; and a reinforcing member for reinforcing the center pillar is interposed between the outer and inner panels and positioned on an extension line of the crossbeam so as to transmit a transverse load inputted to the center pillar to the crossbeam. An input load at a side collision is smoothly transmitted from the outer panel of one of the center pillars, through the reinforcing member, inner panel and crossbeam, to the other center pillar.
A crossmember is provided on a floor panel of the automobile body, extending between the left and right center pillars; and the beam body is fixed to the crossmember. That is, the beam body is supported on the crossmember, thereby to prevent the bending or buckling of the beam body due to an input load to the crossbeam.